Half Life
by Sparky She-Demon
Summary: Cora O'Neill lost her twin brother Charlie when she was 9.5 years old. They'd never been apart. What happens in the years to come and how does this event change her. Sara will be playing a part in the story. Slight AU, with eventual Sam/Jack


**Chapter I: Devastation**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who's been helping me with advice for this story. Simlead, IamDKScully, Amara and all the others who gave me pointers to research, thanks. Sparky She-Demon **

* * *

It was a day like any other. School had just started, and even better, her dad was back from wherever he had been for about three weeks. Charlie wasn't in a good mood with their dad after he'd told him not to play with toy guns, even though he'd been allowed to do so in the past. Cora had also gotten the same new rule from their dad, and while she didn't like it any more than her twin, disobeying her dad was not something she wanted to do.

She'd already started being called a "daddy's girl". Cora had asked her mom what it meant and had been told that it wasn't a bad thing to be called. She was definitely her father's daughter. Though her hair had been blonde like her brother's when they were younger, her hair had started to turn darker, looking more like her eyes a few years ago. Now it was almost completely nut brown, not unlike her father's.

Cora noticed that her brother was moseying towards their parent's bedroom. Knowing the mood he'd been in, she decided not to try and get his attention, but decided to follow him to see what he was up to.

Cora walked into her parents' bedroom looking for him and saw Charlie sitting on the bed… With their father's service weapon in his hands.

"Charlie!" Her twin jumped off the bed in surprise and stared at his sister. "What are you doing?! Dad is so going to kill you when he finds out!"

Charlie smirked at her. "Well, he's not gonna find out, is he? I know I'm not gonna tell him and if you tell him like the daddy's girl you are, I'll kick the snot out of you!"

"Fine. I won't say anything but you have to put it away cuz if Dad comes up here right now..."

"Alright." Charlie said rolling his eyes. Reaching for the box where he had found their father's service weapon, he caught his foot on the edge of the rug. The gun slipped away from his hands, and then there was a horrifying bang.

* * *

About a week later,

"_Please let me be dreaming."_

Those had been the words, the mantra that Cora had been saying to herself all week. They were about the only thing that was keeping her from falling apart, even though she knew it wasn't a dream. It was a waking nightmare. Dressed entirely in black, Cora had been practically a zombie at the funeral. She was numb to everything.

Even though she was distancing herself from the situation, Cora wasn't oblivious. She knew her parents were arguing when they thought that she was asleep. One thing she was grateful for was that they did their best to act as normal as they could when she was up and around.

Her dad had been distant for a little bit with her; as if he were afraid he was going to lose her as well. But he'd held her hand at the funeral. Though he hadn't shown a sign of crying at the funeral, he still comforted her when she started silently crying.

"It's okay Cora. Let it out." He whispered, letting her know he was there.

Later, after all of the visitors had left, including her grandfather, Cora was walking back to her room, when she saw that her dad was alone in his room. He was crying. Going into the room, Cora gave her father a hug. He pulled her into his lap, and returned the hug. Cora always felt safe when her father held her; she knew he would never let anything happen to her. Burrowing further into her father's embrace, she too cried silently.

* * *

It was her first day back at school after the accident. Her mom wasn't too sure that it was a good idea her going back so soon, but Cora needed to do something other than brood at home, according to her father and grandfather.

Before she got out of the car, her mom turned to her and said, "If it becomes too much for you Cora, all you need to do is have the school call home and I'll come and get you."

Cora nodded her understanding. Truth be told, she was more than a little tense herself. How were people going to be treating her?

As she went into her classroom, everyone went silent and stared at her. Her teacher, Ms. Walker, said, "Welcome back Cora. Why don't you take your seat?"

Cora nodded, not really wanting to talk. If she talked, she felt like she was going to cry.

She walked back to her desk and got out her book. Most of her classmates were at least trying not to stare at her. And those that were staring at her would look away when she caught them. So far it was turning into a rather quiet day. Maybe things would go smoothly.

Of course, that was not meant to be.

* * *

Cora had gotten through the morning with relative ease. Though she was beginning to get irked with the way everyone was walking on eggshells around her. Except for some kids in one of the fifth grade classes who had been making all sorts of jokes about guns and shooting, while within her earshot. Cora had done her best to ignore them, but it was getting harder and harder. These jerks had also been making the bad jokes when she couldn't really retaliate easily.

She realized that she'd conveniently zoned out for her math teacher's instructions. Her empty book taunted her and a frown took up residence on her face, quickly followed by panic.

Fortunately, the end-of-class bell saved her from the onslaught of confusion. She stood, limbs heavy, and then found her way to the door. The last one out, she took her time trudging down the corridor with her eyes focused on the ground.

Of course things were going to come to a head at recess. Cora was sitting under her favorite tree, reading book. Not two weeks before, she would have been running around with most of the rest of her class. And Charlie. By this point in recess, they probably would have already started playfully needling each other.

Cora choked on unshed tears at the thought. It had been the first time she'd really had time to think about her twin all day. Though she hadn't really absorbed any of what the teachers were saying it had been enough to distract her from the thoughts of her brother.

They had never been apart from each other, not in nearly nine and a half years. "_Now, what am I going to do?"_

* * *

"Ooh." The patronizing voice made her raise her head - a group of all too familiar faces came into view, sporting menacing grins.

"Shoot me now, it's Cora!" one of the taller, scrawnier boys announced. His eyes sparkled (he was _clearly_ having more fun than her). She let out a low hiss, balled her fists and stepped closer.

"Watch your mouth," she growled. "Or I'll rearrange it _for_ you."

"Didn't your brother warn you about riling us? No, wait, he's not 'around' anymore. Is he?" One of the girls crossed her arms and elbowed her way into the conversation. Fury bubbled beneath Cora's skin. If her eyes didn't show it, her pulsing veins and boiling blood surely would. A fist clenched, muscles jumping alive. Her vision turned red and lunged for the target.

Until a strong hand closed around hers. She looked up into the face of her math teacher and gulped.

Mr. Michaels said, "I think that it would be a good idea if you come inside Cora." He gave her a kind smile, despite having just caught her taking a swing at another student.

The look he gave her tormentors was something else. He said to them in a deadly calm voice, "Don't even think about trying to talk your way out of this. You're coming inside as well."

* * *

The office was crowded, evidently not made for five children and their parents. Cora's were avoiding the eyes of the others as surreptitiously as possible, which was only made easier by the fact that her enemies were receiving possibly the worst lecture in their lives. Cora averted her eyes from the scrawny boy as he scowled and removed his jacket - the office was at least ten times stuffier than the classrooms, she was sure. The heat only fueled the remnants of anger that floated around within her.

"How would you feel if your little sister died?" she heard one of the children's dads ask. His eyebrow was raised and he wore a lofty expression.

"Happy!" their child snapped back. With a click, the principal placed the phone down and turned to face them.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. Now..." He glanced over at the other four pupils. "I'd like you to show your parents to the in school suspension rooms."

One of the parents squawked, "_Suspension?_ Don't you think that's a bit much?"

Another father rolled their eyes and said, "Suspension will only be the beginning for my son," which was said while glaring at the scrawny boy who had been Cora's main tormentor.

The principal replied, "The in-school suspension will be their punishments from the school. What you do when you get home is of your own choosing. Now show your parents the way there, the dean will deal with the specifics of what you are allowed to do while in those rooms."

One of the smaller boys just got up and stormed out of the office. Without even looking at any of the other parents, the father got up and went after his son. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the group that were headed to the suspension room left, not looking at Cora or her parents.

* * *

As the door swung shut after the last parent left, the principal said to Cora, "Why don't you wait outside while I talk to your parents? I'll call you back in when we're just about done."

She nodded her assent. It wasn't like she wouldn't hear about whatever they were going to be talking about once they got back home.

Once Cora left, the principal turned to her parents with a composed face. "This incident wasn't a one-off - I've had teachers telling me that her physical body's there but her mind is, well, somewhere completely different. So, we think that the best thing is for her to take time off school until she can attend her classes properly," he told them. Sara nodded slowly and made a little hum of acknowledgement.

"Wait a minute," Jack interjected, shifting to the edge of his seat. "If you're punishing Cora…-" The principal cut him off with a wave and said,

"It's not a punishment. We just think it's best that Cora has some rest, she's not well enough to be here. You can phone in when you think she's ready to come back. Wouldn't you rather she grieves in peace?" The look the headmaster gave him was imploring and pulled at his heartstrings - no he didn't want his daughter to suffer. So, with a short-lived sigh, he nodded.

"Fine. Thanks for the, err... Thanks for the consideration." Jack and Sara stood, said their goodbyes and made their way out the door. Cora turned to them immediately, the inquiry on the tip of her tongue. Before Jack could answer, her mother jumped in.

"The principal just wants you to take some time off. Until you feel better, that's all," she explained.

"Will I get to come back?" the girl persisted. Anxiety consumed her wide orbs. Her father laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Sure you will. It's only a phone call away."

Cora and her parents also made arrangements for Cora to still get her homework sent to her, so that she wouldn't fall behind. They then made their way back out to the car.

* * *

Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween had been excruciating affairs for Cora and her parents. Halloween had been the least painful, as they could dress up and put on masks and costumes. It still was tough though, as Charlie had absolutely adored Halloween, but Cora loved it every bit as much as her twin had.

Then came the November and December holidays, which were big family holidays, which were all the more agonizing for them. They'd gotten through Thanksgiving with minimal fuss and had watched the football games all day. It was a smaller meal, but it was still fun.

Christmas had been the worst ordeal to date that Cora had gone through since burying her brother. Everything and everyone was so festive, full of cheer, bright, and happy. She'd gone back to school about a month after the incident that had resulted in the suspension of five fifth graders. Cora had kept up with her class work to make sure that she didn't fall behind. Though everyone had talked to her, Cora had mostly listened for the first couple of weeks back.

It was the turn to be at her mom's side of the family for Christmas. The tension in the house could have been cut with a knife. Both of her uncles were giving her father dirty looks. They obviously blamed him for Charlie's death. Cora and her mother had both been surprised that no fights had broken out during their visit.

Now it was the New Year. Hopefully it would be better than the previous one.

Looking out the window, Cora saw something she hadn't seen in a while. Some men in USAF uniforms were coming up the walk. What did the Air Force want with her dad now?

* * *

Cora hid out in her room while the guys from the Air Force were in the house. She only heard their voices, it didn't sound good.

Shortly after they left, she tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding the creaky step at the bottom. Cora made her way to her dad's "office" (her mom had used the term man cave) and caught the tail end of yet another argument. Her mom was speaking,

"Jack, they can get someone else. You're needed here."

Her dad's reply sounded like the usual line,

"They said I'm the best for the job."

"It's not just me I talking about, Jack. I'm talking about Cora. What am I supposed to tell her, if you don't come back?"

"I need to do this Sara. It may help give me some peace of mind."

With that, Jack left his office and made to start getting ready to leave. He then saw Cora sitting at the bottom of the stairs staring with brown eyes the size of saucers. The look on her face really tugged at his heartstrings.

Shortly after he'd finished packing up and was sitting on the bed, Jack felt someone hug him from behind. Turning himself around slightly he saw that Cora was hugging him like she'd never let him go. Jack pulled her into his lap and hugged her for a bit and carried Cora to her room. He continued to hug her.

Just as he was about to actually get up, Cora said to him,

"Daddy, please don't go!" she begged.

It made him pause. Cora had brought out one of her best weapons for this. Turning to her, Jack said,

"Cora, this is something that I have to do. I'll come back in time for your birthday. I love you."

With that, Jack left Cora sobbing in her room.

* * *

**A/N 2: And here's the first chapter. What do you guys think of it? **


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